Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-12-29
The Soldier in Congress.
CProm onr own Correspondent

Z
of more or less Importance:
/ By Senator Ingalls,. of Kansas To
remove the limitation Of the arrears OF
pension law so that all soldiers who
have presented claims since July /,
1880, will draw pension from discharge
I when their names are placed on the
rolls. This is undoubtedly jGst
measure, as the soldiers who waited 0
long before presenting their claims
should moi be made 10 lose the pension
which their modesty or Ignorance pre-
vented them from asking for sooner
LONE Senators contend that the soldiers
who got along without pensions rs long
As they could earn living, and for the
years the Government was poor, should
receive first consideration now that
they are unable to earn a living and
the government is amply able to pay
their claims in full This is the ground
Senator Ingalls, takes aud he will put
forth his best energies for this bill.
Bpt other Senators say they cannot
support this arrears measure because
their constituents and the public gen
orally are opposed to paying out so
much Cor pensions.
They claim that the laboring classes
are kicking because while they are
starved the soldiers are getting fat on
government pensions. | wonder how
many Of The boys are growing heavier
and healthier from such source.
Senator Ingalls, also introduced a
bill granting arrears of pension to
soldiers who had their names placed
on the rolls by special acts of congress
The present practice is TO have the
pension commence from the date of the
passage of the act granting it.
Senator Hawley, of Connecticut, in
PRODUCED bill to pay soldiers who were
confined in rebel prisons for sixty (60)
days or more $500 per day for ever,
day OF such confinement 1t is safe TO
say that this bill will never pass the
House of Representatives
Senator Edmunds Of Vermont, the
statesman OF the age, asks for the pas
sage of law granting pensions to thu
widows and children of soldiers who
have died, or who may die from any
cause not the result of vicious habits.
/ This same idea is included in another
bill to which will refer later on.
Senator Blair, of New Hampshire
again presents the bill providing for a
/ trial by jury of claims rejected by the
Pension Bureau. This bill was defeated
/ in the House OF Representatives last
session. The administration is opposed
+ to this measure because it reflects on
4 the commissioner of pensions Fol
/ any case that could be established be-
fore an impartial jury, can be
/ proven before the Pension Bureau.
which is supposed to stand in the
place of the jury. In fact the
commissioner of Pensions is Doth judy,
and jury besides being a law to him
self We now come to the most import
| ant soldiers bill before Congress al
this session Upon the grounds OF this
measure will be fought another Chat
tanooga or Gettysburg
The honor of placing this casus belh
before the senate belongs to Senator
/ Henderson of Nebraska
1t is practically the dependent soldier
bill which President Cleveland vetoed
It is intended to provide pensions for
soldiers who are entirely dependent
upon their manual labor for support,
but who are totally disabled for labor
! oy reason of disease, wounds or in
iuries incurred or contracted in any
way and at any time, provided such
disability was not brought on BY
vicious habits This bill also provides
that the widows and children or the
dependent parents OF soldiers who hay,
died from any cause not the result OF
their own bad habits or not in violation
of any law Suicide for iustance) shall
be placed on the pension rolls and
raises the rate for chill ren from - 10
IS per month. As the final feature
of this bill it declares that agents ol
attorneys who prosecute claims under
this law shall receive but 80 fee which
is fair compensation for the services
they will have TO render Every
soldier and he heirs Of such of The
boys who have reinlisted above, should
watch this bill ut every step aud mark
the men who vote against it, Senator
Henderson and his colleagues who ia
vor the measure do not intend BY il to
give II pension to the loafers, drunkards
and beats as has been claimed but only
to provide for the boys who served 50
faithfully and who are now compelle d
through no fault of theirs to take thai
dreaded march of cover the hills to the
poor house..
As one of the members of the House
said last winter when the dependent
soldier bill was being discussed: They
marched for us over hills, through
thickets and swamps, waded and swan
swollen streams. footed it over dusty
roads. beneath the broiling sun, walkeu
up to the cannon mouth and bayonels
point and into rebel prisons and the
Jaws Of death Shall we ask them
now to tramp into the poor house?"
let us take look at the Senate Com
mittee on Pensions for this Congress.
The chairman is Senator Davis Of Min
nesota. Then Of Tie old committee
there are Blair Of New Hampshire,
who 1T. was Col. of the 18th n. II and
SAWYER Of Wisconsin, Paddock of Ne.
braska. new man, Quay of Penn,
another new man, Wilson Of Maryland,
Turpie, II Indiana over whose election
the Indiana legislature bad a row last
year; and Biodgett Of New Jersey
OF these Blodgett Turpie, Paddock
and Davis are not committed to any
policy so that it IS not known yet how
thev stand on Pension questions.